1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accommodating structure for elongated electric wires in a protector. More particularly, the present invention is configured to improve the working effect in accommodating elongated electric wires in an array in a protector.
2. Description of Background Information
As means for protecting the electric wires which constitute a wire harness for automobile, resin-made protectors are frequently used for various portions. As shown in FIG. 10(A), in an wire harness for electric vehicles which supplies large current from a source power, such as in the wire harness W/H for connecting the front part with the rear part of automobile, an electric wire is used having a length of more than 1 m and, for large current, having a diameter of more than 10 mm.
In order to dispose a plurality of such elongated wires W in parallel condition and protect the wires, as shown in FIGS. 10(B) and 10(C), an elongated protector 1 is used. The protector includes a receiving member 1b having an elongated wire groove 1a into which an elongated wire W is to be accommodated, and a cover member 1c. 
However, accommodating a plurality of elongated wires W of large diameter in parallel rows without displacement is extremely difficult. This is to say, the elongated electric wires W accommodated in the grooves 1a must be held in a manner without upward movement until they are completely covered by the cover member 1c. Especially in the case of large diameter elongated wires W for large current, which have a tendency to exhibit curvature even after placement into the groove 1a, partial upward movement is likely, making the accommodating work more difficult.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. The present invention provides a structure for accommodating elongated electric wires in a protector, including a plurality of elongated electric wires, at least one trough-like receiving member for accommodating the elongated electric wires in parallel and a cover member for covering an open upper face of the receiving member. Furthermore, elongated electric wires are held by a clamp member to array the elongated electric wires in the required parallel condition, and the clamp members are positioned at predetermined distances in the longitudinal direction of the elongated electric wires. Engaging parts are formed in the receiving member at predetermined distances for fixedly engaging a respective clamp member, so that the elongated electric wires are accommodated in parallel condition in the receiving members via the clamp members.
According to the above construction, a plurality of elongated electric wires can be pre-positioned in partially parallel condition by the clamp members. For this purpose, the elongated electric wires can be sequentially arranged in parallel in a receiving member simply by pushing the clamp members into the engaging portion of the respective receiving member in an engaging manner. Moreover, since the elongated electric wires pushed into the receiving member are fixed in position at each predetermined distance by engagement between the clamp member and the engaging portion, upward movement of the elongated electric wires can be prevented during the closing of the cover on the receiving member, thereby improving the workability of the parallel arrangement operation of the elongated electric wires in the protector.
The clamp member may be formed by dividing the clamp member into upper and lower parts at a central plane to form complementary surfaces having at least one groove for accommodating the elongated electric wires. Accordingly, at the time the elongated electric wires are laid out on a working table during assembly of the wire harness, the clamp member can be readily fitted to the elongated electric wires at predetermined distances by clamping the elongated electric wires with the clamp member.
As the engaging portions of the receiving members, it is preferable to form a pair of projecting strips or indented grooves for receiving the clamp members in clamp form. The engaging portions are preferably formed at predetermined positions on the bottom surface of the receiving members, and/or on the inner surface of opposite side walls of the receiving members. The clamp members may be formed for connection in a vertical stack of two or more clamp members, and/or in horizontal rows of two or more, so as to accommodate the elongated electric wires in the protector in parallel condition of two or more tiers.
In an aspect of the present invention, a protector for accommodating elongated electric wires is provided. The protector includes at least one trough-shaped receiving member for accommodating the electric wires in a parallel array, a cover member for covering an open upper face of the receiving member, and at least one clamp member, provided separately from the receiving member, that clamps and holds the electric wires in the parallel array. The receiving member may include at least one engaging part for positioning the at least one clamp member at a predetermined position.
In other aspects of the present invention, the protector may further include a plurality of the clamp members, and a plurality of the engaging parts may be provided at spaced distances to receive a respective one of the clamp members to position the electric wires in the parallel array along the protector. Additionally, the at least one engaging part may be provided on at least one of a bottom wall of the receiving member and opposed side walls of the receiving member. Moreover, the at least one engaging part may be configured as one of spaced parallel projections and a recess having spaced parallel walls, with the engaging part configured to receive and hold the clamp member in position.
In further aspects of the present invention, the at least one clamp member may include an upper part and a lower part, each the upper part and lower part having a complementary mating surface including at least one groove that receives one of the electric wires when the upper and lower parts are positioned in mating engagement. Additionally, the upper and lower parts may include complementary locking elements to retain the upper and lower parts in mating engagement, and may also further include a hinge element connecting first ends of the upper and lower parts, with the complementary locking elements provided on second ends of the upper and lower parts.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of providing a parallel array of elongated electric wires in a protector is provided. The method includes providing a protector including a trough-shaped receiving member, providing at least one clamp member configured to clampingly receive a plurality of electric wires in parallel, first clamping the plurality of electric wires in the at least one clamp member, and then inserting the at least one clamp member at a predetermined location in the receiving member to form the parallel array.
In another aspect of the present invention, the method may also include providing a plurality of the clamp members, clamping the plurality of wires at spaced locations along the length of the wires, and then inserting the clamp members at predetermined spaced locations in the receiving member.
In still other aspects of the present invention, the method may further include providing a plurality of engaging parts at each predetermined location to receive and hold the inserted clamp members. Additionally, each clamp member may include an upper part and a lower part, each upper part and lower part having a complementary mating surface including at least one groove that receives one of the electric wires when the upper and lower parts are positioned in mating engagement. Furthermore, the upper and lower parts may include complementary locking elements to retain the upper and lower parts in mating engagement, and may further include a hinge element connecting first ends of the upper and lower parts, with the complementary locking elements being provided on second ends of the upper and lower parts.
A further aspect of the invention encompasses a system for providing a parallel array of elongated wires that includes a work support surface, at least two wire holders mounted on the work support surface, each wire holder configured to retain a plurality of wires in a spaced parallel array and at a position spaced above the work support surface, and at least one clamp member configured to clampingly receive the plurality of wires in the parallel array. The system further includes at least one clamp holder mounted on the work support surface between the at least two wire holders, the at least one clamp holder having a portion spaced from the work support surface and configured to receive a lower surface of a respective one of the clamp members, so that the at least two wire holders maintain the plurality of wires in the spaced parallel array during installation of the clamp member on the plurality of wires, and the clamp holder maintains the clamp member in position during installation so that the clamp member can be readily positioned to retain the plurality of wires in the spaced parallel array.
In other aspects of the present invention, the system may also include each clamp member having an upper part and a lower part, with each upper part and lower part having a complementary mating surface including at least one groove that receives one of the plurality of wires when the upper and lower parts are positioned in mating engagement. Further, the upper and lower parts may include complementary locking elements to retain the upper and lower parts in mating engagement, and a hinge element may be provided for connecting first ends of the upper and lower parts, with the complementary locking elements provided on second ends of the upper and lower parts.